YEAR 0NE: “Something Else” by Kathryn Cave/Chris Riddell
Activity 1:
1) Read “Something Else”; what is the book all about?
2) Make large (photocopied or drawn) pictures of Something Else and the
creature. Look at the two characters – use adjectives to describe them.
The characters are very different to look at but they are still friends.
How are we the same as/different to our friends? (Hair colour, eye
colour, skin colour, height, gender, families, favourite things, religious
belief, etc.) Make pictures of our differences: “I’ve got black hair and so
has my friend”, “My friend has got blue eyes and my eyes are brown”, “I’m
a girl and my friend is a boy”, etc. We are all different but we are all
friends; we all get along together.
Activity 2:
1) What can my friend do that I can do? What can my friend do that I can’t
do? Copy each other. Create a poster: “My friend can…and so can I” and
“My friend can…but I can’t”.
Activity 3:
1) Create a book: “All About Me”. Discuss the information that should go in
it – physical details, personal details (family, friends etc)
2) Create a book about a friend
Activity 4:
1) The book is basically about how some people are bullied because they are
perceived to be different. Brainstorm: Why might someone be bullied?
What can we do when we see that someone is bullied? Who should we tell?
Who can we go to in school and at home?
2) Discussion: Another reason that someone might be bullied is because of
their sexuality - who they fall in love with. This is another difference
between people. Why might people be bullied because of their sexuality?
3) Talk about the special friendships we have when we are older. Reference
mums and dads, boyfriend and girlfriend. Also reference, two men who
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love each other (gay) and two women who love each other (lesbian).
Challenge any negativity the children may have around the use or
understanding of these words.
Activity 5:
1) Discuss: never judge a book by its cover. What does this mean? How was
Something Else being judged? Who was judging him? We should judge
people by what they do not how they look. (Reference: stereotype
exercise).
Activity 6:
1) Draw big pictures of the two characters. Ask the children to think of
adjectives to describe the characters. Write the adjectives on post-it
notes and stick them next to the character.
2) What inclusive and exclusive language do we use in class/the playground?
Write down the children’s responses. Make a display of what the children
have said and put the words by pictures of the two characters.
Activity 7:
1) Something Else was horrible to the creature when it first appeared at
the door. Why do you think that was? After Something Else threw the
creature out, why did it run after the creature and bring it back? (Is
Something Else/the creature male or female? Does it matter?)
Activity 8:
1) Recap: we are all different but we all get along. Recap: we can all do
things that other people can do, and things that others can’t. Recap:
People can be different in lots of ways. Recap: differences are something
to be proud of. Recap: ways of including people in our games/activities/
lives.
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